Control unit

ABSTRACT

A lever operated control unit includes two brackets of metal stampings which are adjustably connected together. A lever crank, which is also a metal stamping, is rotatable on a pivot bolt secured to the brackets, and a lever is adjustably mounted on the lever crank. The lever crank is adapted to operate a control member such as a push-pull cable. A rod is pivoted to the lever crank and has stop collars that cooperate with a pivot fitting on one of the brackets to limit the travel of the cable.

United States Patent 1 1 Gregory 14 1 June 5,1973

[54] CONTROL UNIT [75] Inventor: Ted W. Gregory, Mundelein, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Arens Controls, Inc., Evanston, Ill.

[22] Filed: Feb. 12, 1971 [211 App]. No.: 114,815

[52] U.S. Cl. ..74/491, 74/522, 74/525 {51] Int. Cl. ..74 S26, 605g H00[58] Field of Search ..74/491, 525,526, 74/522,51l;192/116.5,143

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,402,535 1/1922 Page ..74511 M x 3,352,173 11 1967 Freeland..... ..74/511 x 1,255,220 2/1918Petry ..74 525 x 2/1938 Dodd ..74 525 2,186,620 1 1940 Aprea et al ..74526 2,414,040 1 1947 Hanner ..74 525 3,530,736 9 1970 Houk ..74 471 xPrimary Examiner-Milton Kaufman Attorney-Olson, Trexler, Wolters &Bushnell [57] ABSTRACT A lever operated control unit includes twobrackets of metal stampings which are adjustably connected together. Alever crank, which is also a metal stamping, is rotatable on a pivotbolt secured to the brackets, and a lever is adjustably mounted on thelever crank. The lever crank is adapted to operate a control member suchas a push-pull cable. A rod is pivoted to the lever crank and has stopcollars that cooperate with a pivot fitting on one of the brackets tolimit the travel of the cable.

9 Clfims, 11 Drawing Figures.

PATENTEDJUH 51m 3.736800 sum 1 0F 2 64 INVENTOR 92 TED W.GREGORY OM, i/i w W By Affy s PAIENTUJJUH 5 I975 SHEET 2 0F 3,736,800

INVENTOR TED W. GREGORY Affys BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to improvements in lever operated mechanical control units.

Lever operated control units of the foregoing type generally include amechanism that shifts the rod or core of a sheathed cable for purposesof remote actuation of a mechanical device. Such units are used for awide variety of purposes including throttle control, transmissioncontrol and clutch control for farm vehicles, marine power plants, toname but a few. Because of the wide uses to which the control units areput, it is desirable that these units have a wide range of adjustment.Prior units have sometimes lacked the desired adjustment and thus havehad limited application. While some units may be factory adjusted uponassembly, these units have sometimes lacked a sufficient degree ofadjustability in the field.

In heavy duty control units it is common to use castings for certain ofthe parts, such as brackets and the like in order to give the units therequisite degree of ruggedness. However, castings significantly increasethe cost of the unit.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the presentinvention to provide a lever operated control unit having a wide rangeof adjustment so as to be capable of use with many types of equipment.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a controlunit of the type stated in which the adjustments can be readily made atthe equipment site, thereby enhancing the utility of the unit.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a leveroperated control unit of the type stated in which principal partsthereof, such as bracket members, the lever crank etc. are fabricated ofheavy gauge sheet metal stampings, thereby reducing the cost of the unitbut without impairing its ruggedness or heavy duty capabilities.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a controlunit of the type stated in which an auxiliary rod having adjustablestops and cooperable with an abutment on the control bracket is used toset the stroke or travel of the cable rod, thereby eliminating the useof stops on the cable rod proper and also providing a positive stop ineach direction, thereby preventing overload on the control cable.

In accordance with the foregoing objects the control unit of the presentinvention comprises a first or control bracket, a lever crank having alever rigidly connected thereto, the lever crank being mounted forpivotal movement relative to the first bracket, a second or leverbracket, an arrangement for adjustably mounting the leverbracket on thecontrol bracket in selected positions of orientation about the pivotaxis of the lever crank, and attaching means, such as a clamp, mountedon the lever crank remote from its pivot axis for retaining the core ofthe cable, and a clamping means on the control bracket for gripping thesheath of the cable but permitting axial movement of the core.

In an embodiment of the invention, there may be three hundred and sixtydegrees of adjustability of one bracket relative to the other. Inaddition, the lever may be adjustably mounted in selected positions onthe lever crank radiating outwardly from the axis of rotation of thelever crank.

The attainment of the above and further objects of the present inventionwill be apparent from the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a control unit constructed inaccordance with and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the structure of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sectional views, on an enlarged scale,taken along lines 3-3 and 4-4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the control unit of FIGS. 1and 2;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takenalong lines 6-6 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the control unit of FIG. 1 but withthe parts in different positions of adjustment;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the control unit in a furtherposition of adjustment and utilizing a modified form of lever bracket;

FIG. 9 is aside elevational view of the structure of FIG. 8 but showinga further position of adjustment;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takenalong lines 10-10 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 11 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of the structure ofFIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now in more detail and by referencecharacters to the drawing, 2 designates a control unit comprising anelongated generally rectangular first or control bracket 4 that isformed of a heavy gauge sheet metal stamping and having a hole 6adjacent to one end thereof. Radially outwardly of the hole 6 areadditional and somewhat smaller holes 8, 8 (FIG. 5) the centers of whichare on a line passing through the center of the hole 6 and equallyspaced from such center. Provided for mounting on the bracket 4 is asecond or lever bracket 10 also formed of a heavy gauge sheet metalstamping and having at one end thereof a hole 12 one edge of which has aflat 14 (FIG. 5). Also formed in the bracket 10 is a series of holes 16that are located on a circle that is centered on the center of thearcuate portion of the hole 12. Two opposed holes 16 are spaced apartthe same as the spacing of the holes 8, 8, and the holes 8, 8 and a pairof opposed holes 16, 16 are adapted to receive fasteners such as screwand nut assemblies l8, 18. By reason thereof, the brackets 4, 10 may besecured together in selected positions of orientation about the axis ofthe hole 6.

The end of the bracket 10 that is opposite to the series of holes 16 isangularly turned to form two ears 20, 20 that abut a face place 22having an elongated slot 24. Screw and nut assemblies 26, 26 may be usedto attach the face plate 22 to the cars 20, 20. The face plate 22 alsohas four corner holes 28 for receiving screw and nut assemblies 30 andby which the face plate and hence the unit 2 may be mounted over anopenings in a support or panel 32, as shown in FIG. 1. In the form ofthe invention herein shown, it will be seen that the bracket 4 may beadjustably positioned relative to the bracket through a range of onehundred and eighty degrees. Thus, the bracket 4 may be positioned eitherclockwise 90 or counterclockwise ninety degrees from the position shownin FIG. 1 or the bracket 4 may lie in a number of angular positionsintermediate thereof, as determined by the number of holes 16.

A lever crank 36 is pivotally mounted by movement relative to thebrackets 4, 10 about the axis of the hole 6. This lever crank orquadrant control may also be a sheet metal stamping. A lever 38 has anelongated shank 46 that projects loosely through the slot 24 and at itsfree end has a generally spherical knob 42 in screw threaded engagementtherewith. The attached end of the lever shank 46 is flattened somewhatas at 44 for flush fitting engagement with the face of the lever crank36. In order to secure the lever 38 to the lever crank 36, the latterhas openings lying on lines radiating substantially from the pivot axisof the lever crank. In the form of the invention herein shown, there arethree sets of holes, there being two holes 46, 48 in each set and withthe holes of each set being arcuately offset from the holes of anadjacent set. Obviously, however, more than three sets of holes may bepunched out of the lever crank 36. Fasteners in the form of screw andnut assemblies 50, 50 project through the flat 44 and through'a selectedset of holes 46, 48. For appearance and for avoiding obstruction betweenthe lever crank 36 and the face plate 22 the lever crank 36 may have anarcuate edge 52 outwardly of the groups of holes 46, 48, the arcuateedge 52 terminating in opposed flat edges 54, 56 and defining the sidesof an arm 58.

A bolt 61]) upon which the lever crank 36 pivots passes through theholes 6, 12 and a center hole 61 (FIGS. 5 and 11) in the crank 36. Thebolt 60 has a flat 62 for mating engagement with the flat 14. A splitlock washer 64 surrounds the bolt 60 and is disposed in the hole 6. Thebolt 60 has a large diameter thread 66 for threadedly receiving a spacernut 68 that abuts the split lock washer 64. The bolt 60 is diametrallyreduced adjacent to the thread 66 for receiving plastic anti-frictionwashers 76, 72 which are disposed on opposite sides of the lever crank36 and are flush thereagainst. A flanged lock nut 74 is threaded ontothe bolt 66 and presses against the axially outer washer 76. It will beseen, therefore, that the lever crank 36 pivots about the central axisof the bolt 66 with the plastic washers 70, 72 providing bearings thatfrictionally grip the lever crank 36 and yet permit the lever crank 36to be rotated without requiring excessive forces to be applied thereto.

Adjacent to its free end, the arm 58 is provided with spaced apartapertures 76, 78 (FIGS. 5 and 11) for selectively receiving a fitting 66(FIGS. 4 and 6) that includes a pin portion 82 that is swivelly mountedin the arm 58 and is retained against axial withdrawal from the arm 54by a cotter pin 84. The pivot fitting 80 has a threaded diametral hole86 for receiving the threaded end of a wire rod core 68 of a cable thatincludes a sheath generally designated at 90. A lock nut 92 threads ontothe threaded end of the core 88, as shown in FIG. 4. In the form of theinvention herein shown, the sheath 96 may include rubber bushings 96,98, a metal tube 94 therebetween, and a metal oversheath 160 telescopedwith the rubber bushing 98. The stretch of the sheath beyond theoversheath 100 may be rubber, plastic, or other flexible material. Itshould be noted, however, that the core and sheath of the herein 4described cable is by way of illustration as other forms of cable may beused with the control unit of the present invention.

The sheath is secured to one end of the control bracket 4 by a clamp 102that has lateral flanges for receiving bolt and nut assemblies 104, 164that pass through holes in a mounting plate 106 and also holes 107 (FIG.7) in the control bracket 4 whereby the clamp 102 is disposed generallyat an angle to the longitudinal center line of the bracket 4. Anadditional set of holes shown at 108 are provided in the bracket 4whereby the clamp 102 may be disposed at a like but opposite angle tothe longitudinal center line of the bracket 4. The clamp 162 may bedisposed over any suitable part of the sheath 90, for instance over themetal portion 100.

For purposes of limiting the stroke of the rod or core 88, there isprovided a rod 116 one end of which has a right angle bend 112 forpivotal fitting in a hole 114 that is radially outwardly of the pivotaxis of the lever crank and radially inwardly of the pivot fitting 80.The bend 112 is retained against withdrawal from the hole 114 by acotter pin 116. Mounted in the control bracket 4 substantially at thelongitudinal center line thereof and spaced from the hole 6 is a fitting118 that is pivotally connected to the bracket 4 and has a transversebore for slidably receiving the rod 110. The fitting 118 may be retainedby a cotter pin 119 (FIG. 2). On opposite sides of the pivot fitting 118the rod has stop collars, 120, 122 mounted thereon. The position of eachstop collar is adjustable in a conventional manner (as by set screwstherein) so that at the limits of travel of the lever crank 36, one orthe other of the stop collars, 120, 122 will abut the pivot fitting 118.Thus, positive stops are provided for the throw of the lever crank andlever independently of the cable so that the cable does not have towithstand all of the force that may be put on the lever as is the casewhere the core of the cable has to withstand all of the force.

FIG. 7 shows another position of adjustment of the control unit 2. Itwill be noted that the flat portion 44 of the lever shank 40 is attachedto a different set of holes 46 than in the case of FIG. 1. Furthermore,it will be noted that the rod 110 and cable project generally oppositelyto the arrangement shown in FIG. 1, namely generally from the edge 54rather than from the edge 56 of the lever crank 36. Moreover, the clamp102 has the bolt and nut assemblies 104, 104 thereof secured in theoptional holes 108, 106 rather than in the holes 107, 107. In atypically neutral or mid-stroke condition, the lever 38 of FIG. 7 ismore or less at right angles to the lever at mid-stroke or neutral inFIG. 1 assuming the same position in each instance for the bracket 4.

FIGS. 8-11 show a modified form of the invention in which the samereference characters indicate the same parts as are present in the formof the invention shown in FIGS. 1-7. The form shown in FIGS. 6-10differs from that shown in FIGS. 1-7 in that the second or lever bracket10a (also used in FIG. 7) is a U-shaped member with a bight 126 thatcontains the circularly disposed holes 16 and the hole 12 that arepresent in the lever bracket 10. The bracket 10a has spaced parallellegs 128, 130 that terminate in lateral flanges 132, 132 having holesfor receiving screws 134 (FIG. 10) by which the bracket 10a and thus theentire control unit 2 may be mounted on a support 136. When utilizingthe bracket a, the control bracket 4 is capable of 360 adjustment aboutthe axis of the pivot bolt 60, the exact number of fixed positions beingdetermined by the number of holes 16.

FIG. 8 shows one arrangement utilizing the U-shaped bracket 10a. FIG. 9shows another arrangement in which the control bracket 4 is offset fromthat shown in FIG. 8 by 45 and wherein the lever shank 40 is secured toa different set of holes 46, 48 than in FIG. 8.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A lever operated control unit for actuation of the core of a cablehaving a sheath over the core having a first bracket, a lever crankhaving a lever connected thereto, said lever crank being mounted forpivotal movement relative to said first bracket, a second bracket, meansfor mounting the lever rigidly on the crank in any one of a number ofselected positions radiating outwardly from the pivot axis of the levercrank to position selectively the lever relative to the cable direction,said lever crank having a portion extending therefrom a greater distancefrom the pivot axis thereof than the lever mounting means, attachingmeans mounted on the extending portion of said lever crank remote fromthe pivot axis of said lever crank and connected to a cable core whichis axially slidable in said sheath, clamping means on said first bracketremote from said attaching means for gripping the sheath of the cablebut permitting axial movement of the core therein, and means formounting said first bracket on said second bracket in any one of anumber of selected positions of orientation about said pivot axiswhereby to facilitate selection of the relative positioning of the levercrank and the direction of the cable.

2. A control unit according to claim 1 in which said lever crank hasopenings lying substantially on lines radiating from said pivot axis,and fastener means projecting through a plurality of said openings andthrough said lever.

3. A control unit according to claim 1 including plastic washers onopposite sides of said lever crank and bearing thereagainst.

4. A control unit for actuation of the core of a cable having a sheathover a core, said unit comprising bracket means, actuating means movablein opposite directions on said bracket means for push-pull engagementwith said core to move the same axially in opposite directions, means onsaid bracket means for clamping said sheath but permitting axialmovement of said core, and stop means remote from said cable forlimiting the displacement of said actuating means in each of saidopposite directions; said stop means including a member independent ofthe core and connected to the actuating means for movement therewith,abutment means on the bracket means separate from the sheath clampingmeans, and spaced stop-forming elements mounted on said independentmember and selectively engageable with said abutment means.

5. A control unit according to claim 4 in which said actuating meanscomprises a lever crank rotatably mounted on said bracket means, saidindependent member is a rod pivotally connected to said lever crankoffset from the means for engagement with said core, said stop-formingelements are collars adjustably mounted on said rod, and said abutmentmeans is a fitting pivotally mounted on said bracket means and throughwhich said rod projects and with the collars being on opposite sides ofsaid fitting.

6. A control unit according to claim 5 in which said bracket meanscomprises first and second brackets, and means securing said bracketstogether in selected positions of orientation about the axis of rotationof said lever crank.

7. A control unit according to claim 6 including a lever, and means forattaching said lever in selected positions on said lever crank, saidselected positions being such that in each said position the leverextends generally radially of the axis of rotation of said lever crank.

8. A control unit according to claim 1 in which said brackets are ofsheet metal stampings.

9. A control unit according to claim 1 in which said lever crank is asheet metal stamping.

1. A lever operated control unit for actuation of the core of a cable having a sheath over the core having a first bracket, a lever crank having a lever connected thereto, said lever crank being mounted for pivotal movement relative to said first bracket, a second bracket, means for mounting the lever rigidly on the crank in any one of a number of selected positions radiating outwardly from the pivot axis of the lever crank to position selectively the lever relative to the cable direction, said lever crank having a portion extending therefrom a greater distance from the pivot axis thereof than the lever mounting means, attaching means mounted on the extending portion of said lever crank remote from the pivot Axis of said lever crank and connected to a cable core which is axially slidable in said sheath, clamping means on said first bracket remote from said attaching means for gripping the sheath of the cable but permitting axial movement of the core therein, and means for mounting said first bracket on said second bracket in any one of a number of selected positions of orientation about said pivot axis whereby to facilitate selection of the relative positioning of the lever crank and the direction of the cable.
 2. A control unit according to claim 1 in which said lever crank has openings lying substantially on lines radiating from said pivot axis, and fastener means projecting through a plurality of said openings and through said lever.
 3. A control unit according to claim 1 including plastic washers on opposite sides of said lever crank and bearing thereagainst.
 4. A control unit for actuation of the core of a cable having a sheath over a core, said unit comprising bracket means, actuating means movable in opposite directions on said bracket means for push-pull engagement with said core to move the same axially in opposite directions, means on said bracket means for clamping said sheath but permitting axial movement of said core, and stop means remote from said cable for limiting the displacement of said actuating means in each of said opposite directions; said stop means including a member independent of the core and connected to the actuating means for movement therewith, abutment means on the bracket means separate from the sheath clamping means, and spaced stop-forming elements mounted on said independent member and selectively engageable with said abutment means.
 5. A control unit according to claim 4 in which said actuating means comprises a lever crank rotatably mounted on said bracket means, said independent member is a rod pivotally connected to said lever crank offset from the means for engagement with said core, said stop-forming elements are collars adjustably mounted on said rod, and said abutment means is a fitting pivotally mounted on said bracket means and through which said rod projects and with the collars being on opposite sides of said fitting.
 6. A control unit according to claim 5 in which said bracket means comprises first and second brackets, and means securing said brackets together in selected positions of orientation about the axis of rotation of said lever crank.
 7. A control unit according to claim 6 including a lever, and means for attaching said lever in selected positions on said lever crank, said selected positions being such that in each said position the lever extends generally radially of the axis of rotation of said lever crank.
 8. A control unit according to claim 1 in which said brackets are of sheet metal stampings.
 9. A control unit according to claim 1 in which said lever crank is a sheet metal stamping. 